Japanese green tea
Green tea|緑茶|Ryokucha is ubiquitous in Japan and therefore is more commonly known simply as "tea"/お茶|ocha}}. It is even referred to as "Japanese tea"/日本茶/nihoncha though it was first used in China during the Song Dynasty, and brought to Japan by Myōan Eisai, a Japanese Buddhist priest who also introduced the Rinzai school of Zen Buddhism. Types of tea are commonly graded depending on the quality and the parts of the plant used as well as how they are processed. There are large variations in both price and quality within these broad categories, and there are many specialty green teas that fall outside this spectrum. The best Japanese green tea is said to be that from the |Yame|八女|yam} region of Fukuoka Prefecture and the Uji region of Kyoto. Shizuoka Prefecture produces 40% of raw tea leaf. *玉露 Gyokuro - Jade Dew :Gyokuro is a fine and expensive type that differs from Sencha (煎茶) in that it is grown under the shade rather than the full sun for approximately 20 days.Illustrated explanation of the process for producing gyokuro tea The name "Gyokuro" translates as "jade dew" and refers to the pale green color of the infusion. The shading causes the amino acids (Theanine) and caffeine in the tea leaves to increase, while catechins (the source of bitterness in tea, along with caffeine) decreases, giving rise to a sweet taste.About the effects of the shading process, and the components of this tea compared to others The tea also has a distinct aroma. *||冠茶|'Kabusecha' - covered tea : Kabusecha is made from the leaves grown in the shade prior to harvest, although not for as long as Gyokuro. It has a more delicate flavor than Sencha. It is sometimes marketed as Gyokuro. *||煎茶|'Sencha' - decocted tea : The first and second flush of green tea made from leaves that are exposed directly to sunlight. This is the most common green tea in Japan. The name describes the method for preparing the beverage. :* ||深蒸し茶| Fukamushicha - long-steamed green tea :: Sencha, which, in the processing of the leaves, has been steamed two times longer than usual Sencha, giving it a deeper color and producing a fuller flavor in the beverage. *玉緑茶| Tamaryokucha - lit. ball green tea : Tamaryokucha has a tangy, berry-like taste, with a long almondy aftertaste and a deep aroma with tones of citrus, grass, and berries. It is also called Guricha. *番茶|'Bancha' - coarse tea : Lower grade of Sencha harvested as a third- or fourth-flush tea between summer and autumn. Aki-Bancha (autumn Bancha) is not made from entire leaves, but from the trimmed unnecessary twigs of the tea plant. *窯煎茶| Kamairicha|pan-fired tea : Kamairicha is a pan-fired green tea that does not undergo the usual steam treatments of Japanese tea and does not have the characteristic bitter taste of most Japanese tea. * By-product of Sencha or Gyokuro :*くき茶| Kukicha - stalk tea :: A tea made from stems, stalks, and twigs. Kukicha has a mildly nutty, and slightly creamy sweet flavor. :*芽茶| Mecha - buds and tips tea :: Mecha is green tea derived from a collection of leaf buds and tips of the early crops. Mecha is harvested in spring and made as rolled leaf teas that are graded somewhere between Gyokuro and Sencha in quality. :*粉茶| Konacha - (coarse) powdered tea :: Konacha is the dust and smallest parts after processing Gyokuro or Sencha. It is cheaper than Sencha and usually served at Sushi restaurants. It is also marketed as 玉露粉/ Gyokuroko or ''Gyokurokocha. * Other :*抹茶| Matcha - powdered tea :: A fine ground tea made from Tencha. It has a very similar cultivation process as Gyokuro. It is expensive and is used primarily in the Japanese tea ceremony. Matcha is also a popular flavor of ice cream and other sweets in Japan. :*玄米茶|'Genmaicha tea' - brown rice tea :: Bancha (sometimes Sencha) and roasted genmai rice blend. It is often mixed with a small amount of Matcha to make the color better. :*ほうじ茶| Hōjicha - roasted tea :: A green tea roasted over charcoal (usually Bancha). :*碾茶|'Tencha' - milling tea :: Half-finished products used for Matcha production. The name indicates its intended eventual milling into matcha. Because, like gyokuro, it is cultivated in shade, it has a sweet aroma. In its processing, it is not rolled during drying, and tencha therefore remains spread out like the original fresh leaf. :*荒茶| Aracha - raw green tea :: Half-finished products used for Sencha and Gyokuro production. It contains all parts of the tea plant. :*新茶|'Shincha' - a new tea :: First flush tea. The name is used for either Sencha or Gyokuro. :*粉末茶| funmatsucha - instant powdered tea :: Milled green tea, used just like instant coffee.　Another name for this recent style of tea is "tokeru ocha," or "tea that melts." Brands of Green Tea Green Tea in United States * Enzo's Private Selection - Organic Matcha Category:Types of tea